Lung Injury Settlements for Injured Workers

Lung injuries pose one of the greatest threats to Illinois workers. They arise in many ways. Once they take hold, they can be difficult to remove. Many people are familiar with mesothelioma. This is just one issue you need to be aware of. Other lung problems exist. Our team can help you learn about lung injuries that workers face. Then, we can help bring a case for damages. Illinois allows workers to collect for lost income, medical bills, and pain. If you experienced any of these, call our offices. Speak with one of our attorneys. We can help you. We have helped other workers with lung problems. The next few pages explores issues related to this topic.

Workers’ Lung Injuries in Illinois

Thanks to asbestos, workers know to look out for lung injuries. However, this issue is just one example of risks your lungs face on the job. Other risks exist. You can suffer chronic or immediate dangers at work.

Long-term dangers include mesothelioma. This occurs when work exposes people to asbestos or other cancer-causing substances. A tumor builds in the lungs. The malignancy encases the organ and strangles it over time. It puts someone’s whole life at risk.

Immediate dangers threaten the lungs too. Quick inhalation of fumes, asphyxiates, and gases can render the lungs dead. Proximity to these toxic materials should put you on notice. Learn about your work environment. See if work exposes you to these toxins. Here are some job sites that expose workers to short and long-term lung problems:

Railroads

Painting

Mines

Chemical plants

Construction

Shipyards

Call us now to see if your lungs are in danger. If you have suffered a lung injury, we can help you. Our team is ready to fight for you. We have the skill and resources to win. You deserve recovery. We will make sure you get it!

Treatment for Lung Injuries

The treatment you need depends on how you injured your lung. If you punctured it, doctors might insert a tube, perform surgery, and manually repair the lung. However, if it’s not that bad, it might heal on its own. You should have a doctor look at it to determine what is best. Patients with mesothelioma might need chemo and radiation. If you have lung disease, doctors might prescribe steroids. How do I know that I have a lung injury? Check out these common symptoms:

Chest pain.

Problems breathing.

Fast heart rate.

Fatigue.

Bloating.

Lack of appetite.

Dry coughing.

You and your doctor will set a full treatment plan. Plans include exams, surgery, medications, and rehab. Lung injuries seriously affect your health. They can even take your life. Though, with care, this can be avoided. To help yourself the most, call a doctor. They can identify the problem. Then, they will find an answer. We assist workers with lung injuries. Our firm makes sure they get the most legal recovery they can. These medical bills will be high. You might even miss work while in treatment. Let us help you get money to pay for these losses.

Can I sue for Work Lung Injuries?

No, you cannot sue for lung injuries on the job. You must go through the workers’ comp process. That system affords you relief. Illinois bars you from traditional courts. Though, you can appeal the decision to the Illinois Supreme Court. You must first exhaust the workers’ comp commission.

The law gives you extra time to bring lung claims. This recognizes that lung injuries present later than others. You recognize a broken bone right away. You do not recognize lung disease that fast. Thus, you get three years instead of the regular 90 days. However, despite this extra time, lung clams present challenging hurdles.

Note, you can still sue third parties. Third parties include property owners, truck drivers, construction workers, and product makers. Basically, anyone but your employer. To figure out how you can recover for work-related lung injuries, call our offices. A team member will instruct you where and how you can get relief. Then, we can bring a claim for you. We don’t charge upfront fees. We don’t charge anything if we lose. Want to know what you can get for your lung injuries? Contact us today.

What is the Value of Work Lung Claims?

It depends to which claim you are referring. Remember, you must bring a workers’ comp claim against your employer. Yet, you can bring third party claims against others. Let us take these in turn.

For the claims against your employer. Your recovery is more limited in scope. You can receive reimbursements for medical costs. You can also receive a portion of your lost wages. That accounts for most of your reward. So where do you get more?

You see high settlement amounts because plaintiffs sue third parties. When they do, they can seek damages for a host of things they can’t in workers’ comp. These damages categories include the following:

Pain and suffering.

Reduced quality of life.

Punitive damages.

Disability.

The exact amounts and kinds will differ for every case. These suits raise the average awards to millions of dollars for workers’ lung injury/disease. They target property owners, product makers, and individuals. Our firm handles lawsuits and workers’ comp claims for lung injuries. We can show you where you can recover the most. We can bring a claim or suit on your behalf. Call us today to find out what it takes to get started.

Lung Injury Settlements for Injured Workers

Modern worksites pose all kinds of dangers and some you cannot even see because they are in the air. These airborne risks can easily affect your lungs if proper equipment is not used and it normally is not. Here are some examples of cases where workers have suffered lung injuries and have brought civil claims against responsible parties.

2010; Illinois; $17,870,000 Jury Award :This was a very contentious case. A 65-year-old woman sued her employer and manufacturers that worked for them. She argued that they conspired and concealed from her the dangers related to asbestos exposure. Interestingly, she worked in office administration and not construction, maintenance or any other field commonly associated with asbestos exposure. Nonetheless, she developed mesothelioma due to contact and proximity with it. The defendants retorted that their was no conspiracy, they did not hide anything from her, and her injuries were unrelated to whatever misconduct they might have committed. The jury disagreed. They returned a $17,870,000 for the woman for the following damages:

Compensatory:

Punitive:

Total:

$3,500,000

$14,370,000

$17,870,000

2013; New Jersey; $625,000 Settlement:This controversy started when an employee sued his employer in a workers’ compensation lawsuit. The suit alleged that the company was responsible for the lung cancer that developed in the man. He complained that he was exposed to asbestos for over thirty years while working there and that it contributed to the disease’s emergence and expansion in his body. The defendant replied that the man also smoked two packs of cigarettes a day for nearly this same amount of time and that that was the reason for his lung cancer. Responding to this criticism, the plaintiff presented that the presence of asbestos was more responsible for his cancer than the cigarettes. Without admitting that this was true, the defendant consented to settle with the plaintiff for $625,000.

2011; Alabama; $99,500 Settlement:This dispute was between an electrician and his employer. The plaintiff alleged that he suffered a severe allergic reaction while working one day but also injuries that cumulatively developed over his 17-year period of employment. The damage was primarily to his lungs as well as his eyes and skin. The defendant company denied that it was responsible or liable for these issues. It said that a preexisting health condition was the true source of his harms. Both sides decided to settle for $99,500.

2015; Illinois; $971,700 Settlement:The victim in this was a pipe fitter and insulator for almost twenty years. At the young age of 42, his doctors diagnosed him with peritoneal mesothelioma and told him it was the result of exposure to asbestos. He sued his employers as well as the makers of the materials that contained asbestos. In total, all of the defendants settled with him for $971,700.

2010; Alabama; $73,000 Settlement:This matter involved a construction worker. He was working at a job site one day when he slipped and fell. The fall forced him onto a protruding object that punctured his chest and lungs. He sued his employer for the dangerous conditions of the site and the outcome of the accident. The defendant complained that the injuries arose because of the contributory negligence of the man but still preferred to settle than drag the case through trial. They gave the plaintiff $73,000-$68,000 for medical costs and $5,000 for lost wages.

2006; Illinois; $310,000 Jury Awards:This was a special kind of asbestos case. A man worked for a long time as a railroad worker in their stockyards. In his eventual suit, he claimed that minerals in the products used contained asbestos and that exposure gave him serious health problems including mesothelioma. Going further, he alleged that the company knew of this danger, did not tell their employees of this danger, and failed to otherwise protect them from this danger. The defendants refused to accept any responsibility for the man’s injuries. Instead, they said that his problems stemmed from smoking. The jury returned a $310,000 award for the plaintiff.

2004; Texas: $56,234 Jury Award:A 32-year-old man brought a suit against his former employer when they denied his workers’ compensation claim. The factory worker claimed that he suffered permanent lung and back damage as well as pain and suffering after an explosion at the plant injured him and other workers. The employer disagreed that his injuries stemmed from this incident and did not give him the benefits he thought he was entitled to so the man sued. After trial, the man received a $56,234 award for his damages.

Lawyers That can Help You in Chicago

If you suffered a lung injury on the job, call our offices. We have a team that can assist you. Illinois law lets you recover but it is not easy. We can make sure you collect every dime possible. Contact us to hear about what you can get in court. You need a team with skill, passion, and resources. We have that and more. Plus, we work on contingency. You won’t pay anything until we win. Start today. Give us a call.

If you would like to learn about other kinds of injuries sustained by Illinois workers, then please read the following pages:

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Testimonials

“Too many lawyers try pass you off to another person in their office to answer questions. Not Jonathan. I have already referred some family members to Jonathan for their injury cases. I consider Jonathan both my lawyer and my friend.”- Annie

Jonathan Rosenfeld was professionally objective, timely, and knowledgeable. Also, his advice was extremely effective regarding my case. In addition, Jonathan was understanding and patient pertaining to any of my questions or concerns. I was very happy with the end result and I highly recommend Jonathan Rosenfeld. Michonne Proulx

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Extremely impressed with this law firm. They took control of a bad motorcycle crash that left my uncle seriously injured. Without any guarantee of a financial recovery, they went out and hired accident investigators and engineers to help prove how the accident happened. I am grateful that they worked on a contingency fee basis as there was no way we could have paid for these services on our own. Ethan Armstrong

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This lawyer really helped me get compensation for my motorcycle accident case. I know there is no way that I could have gotten anywhere near the amount that Mr. Rosenfeld was able to get to settle my case. Thank you. Daniel Kaim

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Jonathan helped my family heal and get compensation after our child was suffered a life threatening injury at daycare. He was sympathetic and in constant contact with us letting us know all he knew every step of the way. We were so blessed to find Jonathan! Giulia

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Jonathan did a great job helping my family navigate through a lengthy lawsuit involving my grandmother's death in a nursing home. Through every step of the case, Jonathan kept my family informed of the progression of the case. Although our case eventually settled at a mediation, I really was impressed at how well prepared Jonathan was to take the case to trial. Lisa

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